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What is the Diocesan Synod?
Each of the dioceses has its own Diocesan Synod which consists of the bishops and elected laity and clergy. The Diocesan Synod considers matters sent to it from General Synod and from deanery synods, formulates diocesan policy on a wide range of issues, advises the bishop as appropriate and votes the funding of stipends and administration to be raised from the parishes.
Bishop John, in a Presidential Address at his first Diocesan Synod, set out his suggestions of five principles and values which make for an effective membership:
- Committed to sustaining the sacred centre of our diocesan life, meeting around Jesus Christ, in the embrace of the Father, open to the promptings of the Spirit, seeking to listen to God, through and with each other.
- Fundamentally concerned about growing the kingdom of God, as a community of joyful, confident pilgrims, as members of communities of grace, with something to celebrate and to offer.
- Having a working style which is, as much as possible, relational and not institutional – fundamentally as God's people taking counsel together, bringing our parishes with us, and remembering that behind each report, paper, or set of figures are people who pray, struggle, dream and weep – people like us.
- Being a place of imagination and inspiration, as well as a place of necessary detailed decision-making, travelling light, working with an ethic of responsible stewardship.
- Enjoying our faith in 'the glorious liberty of the children of God'.
What Does the Diocesan Synod do?
Diocesan Synod has these formal functions:
- To consider matters concerning the Church of England and to make provision for such matters in the diocese.
- To advise the Bishop on matters on which he consults the Synod.
- To consider matters referred by the General Synod.
- To consider proposals for the annual budget of the diocese and to approve or disapprove them.
- To consider the annual accounts of the Diocesan Board of Finance.
Deaneries and Parishes can bring any question of general Church interest or raise a matter affecting the deanery or any parish within the deanery to the Diocesan Synod, by passing a motion at Deanery Synod. The Deanery Synod Chairman or Secretary forwards the motion to the Diocesan Secretary. The motion is proposed at Diocesan Synod by a member from the Deanery.
The Diocesan Synod can pass Motions which are sent for debate at General Synod. Such Motions are dealt with in order of date received, and may therefore take a long time to be debated. They are, however, carried over to a new General Synod.